The Masquerade Missunderstanding
by boshrocks
Summary: Halloween night. A Masked Ball. No one knows who anyone else is. What could possibly go wrong? DASEY. read and review please. better than it sounds, i suck at summeries.sweet little twoshot....perhaps there will be a sequel if people ask nicely enough
1. Party Time

"A masquerade ball for Halloween? Couldn't they come up with anything more original?" Casey complained.

"I think you'll have loads of fun." Nora told her over dinner.

"Maybe in your generation."

"Are you going Derek?"

"Dad, are you kidding me? No way would I go to that." said Derek scornfully.

"I kinda figured it wouldn't be your thing." Casey raised an eyebrow.

"But I thought you said…ow! Dude, why'd you kick me?" Edwin complained.

"I didn't." Derek protested. Casey saw the smirk threatening to creep over his face though.

"Have you got a costume, Case?" Marti piped up.

"Not yet. Do you wanna help me with it?" Casey smiled.

"Yay!"

Everyone chuckled.

Nora speared a potato. "Is Max taking you?" she enquired.

"No. He's taking Amy." Casey frowned.

"His ex girlfriend?" even Derek looked concerned.

Casey sighed. "She's not his ex anymore. Emily and I are going stag."

"Any idea what you're going as?"

"No. Emily's going as a devil or something. But I have no idea what to go as."

On Halloween night Casey went over to Emily's to get ready for it. In the end she had decided on an angel as a contrast with Emily's. As she slipped on the white corset and asked Emily to tie it for her, she voiced an opinion that had been festering.

"Why do you think Max got back together with Amy?"

"Probably security. He would have wanted that certainty. Starting a relationship with you meant starting from scratch, so maybe he didn't want the hassle. Boys are really lazy when it comes to relationships."

Casey chuckled humourlessly. "Maybe I should do as Derek is, and not go tonight. Save myself the humiliation."

"No, you deserve a night out. Maybe you'll even pull someone."

"I doubt it. No one would want to make out with me."

Emily looked at Casey in the mirror's reflection and smiled. "That's the beauty of masked balls. They won't know it's you."

"Are we making up fake names as well? Just to add to the mystery."

"No. If a bloke asks for your name, just answer 'a mystery'" that should intrigue him. If he walks you home you can take the mask off or tell him your name. How come Derek's not going tonight?"

"It's not his thing apparently, also he's ill. Got a throat infection or something. I told him to wear a scarf in this cold snap."

"Casey, you're not his mother."

"I know. It's just good sense."

The gym looked wonderful, if a little Halloween clichéd. Cobwebs hung from every corner, complete with several massive plastic spiders. Green and blue lights flashed with the odd red block and flashing white strobe lighting. Every few feet there was a different Hollywood monster or a glow in the dark skeleton.

The party was already underway when they arrived. Emily got asked to dance by a tall Batman almost immediately.

Pretty soon afterwards Casey noticed an equally tall Romeo heading in her direction. Graciously he bowed on his hand and, as elegantly as she could in her long white skirt, she curtseyed back and took his hand, noting the charming smile glued to his face.

"So, angel, I don't know your name." his voice was husky and she couldn't place it to a face.

"My name, is a mystery." She purred. "Come on, Romeo, tell me who you really are."

"Romeo will do for now." He spun her and then drew her close to his body.

Casey gasped a little as he pulled her close. "How did you get so good at dancing?"

"I must have caught the dancing bug from my sister."

"Is she good?"

"I wouldn't tell her this, but she really is."

They danced together all evening, and even when they stopped dancing they spent the party talking over the punch bowl. He even picked out the eyeball that was floating in her plastic cup of punch for her.

Casey couldn't believe how much fun she was having. The mystery made it all the more romantic and she was getting on so well with this guy. She discovered that she could be freer with the mask up and her inhibitions were lowered slightly, making her reveal herself to this Romeo. They had tonnes in common and he even snuck in a kiss.

And it had felt right. It didn't matter to her that she didn't know his name. She didn't care. Also, he was a really good kisser.

Emily and her Batman came over to join them near the end of the party and Casey recognised Batman's voice. It was Sam.

People were starting to go home and Sam suggested walking Emily home. Romeo then also offered to do the same with Casey.

"When am I going to find out who you are?" he asked Casey gently, taking her hand as they walked.

"When we get to my house." She replied coolly. Then she chuckled as he growled a little in frustration.

As they neared Emily's house she turned to Casey and Romeo, who were walking behind them. "Here we are, here's me.

"You must be Emily then?" Romeo asked grinning.

"And I'm right there." Casey pointed out the house.

"You can't live there."

"Why not?" Casey looked puzzled.

"On three, we take off the masks. One, two, three." Emily said, sweeping hers off her head.

Casey took hers off and looked at Romeo expectantly.

"Casey? Oh god."

"Take the mask off. Let me see who you are."

"Trust me, you really don't want me to do that."

"Just take it off."

"No!"

"Fine!" Casey strode forwards the last few steps and grabbed the hat and mask and wrenched them off his face. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

"DEREK?!"


	2. Repercussions

Casey stood there, rooted to the spot. Her face still held the look of shocked horror.

"You're the guy I just had the perfect evening with?"

Even Emily looked stunned. She and Sam looked between them in a rather worried way.

"I had no idea it was you." Derek said. "Look, this stays between the four of us, deal? We speak of this to no one. In fact we forget this ever happened. Especially the kiss."

"Oh god! Oh god! Oh god! I made out with my stepbrother! Ew!"

"Is he really that bad?" Sam couldn't resist a chuckle.

"No, it was good considering that I didn't know who he was, but the repercussions are nasty. I'm going to be in therapy for life."

"Not to Paul. You don't tell anyone about this. Sworn sibling secret." Derek held out his hand to her and she shook it reluctantly. "Good, and you two better not say anything, either."

"Don't worry, dude, we won't."

"Okay. We should head inside, before anyone notices and starts asking questions." Derek steered Casey inside, where they found the rest of the family, barring Marti, waiting for them.

"You're back late. What happened?" Nora said.

"Nothing!" Casey said at the same time as Derek.

As one everyone else raised one eyebrow sceptically.

"What?"

Edwin cleared his throat pointedly and subtly pointed at their hands. They were holding hands. Together they realised this and quickly rectified the problem.

"Case? What's going on?" her mother asked gently.

"Uh, um, nothing." Casey glanced at Derek quickly who took the hint and stepped forward.

"Shouldn't you kids be in bed by now?"

"Don't change the subject."

"Sorry dad."

Casey fake yawned. "Oh, I think it's time I hit the sack. Dancing really takes it out of you." Derek suppressed a snort and then rushed Casey up the stairs.

As Derek shrugged off the fancy brown velvet jacket someone knocked on his door. Casey stuck her head in. "Can you help me please? The others have gone to bed, and even if I did go to them, they'd ask me about tonight."

"What do you need?"

"Eyes in the back of my head. Somehow I got my laces muddled, and I can't see them."

"Course. What laces?"

She turned and showed him the back of her corset. "These laces. Emily tied them and she's really good at knots. I think she was in the girl scouts." Casey went to stand before him as he sat on the edge of his bed.

"Thanks." She said quietly.

"For what? I haven't done them yet."

"For tonight. The mystery made it more romantic."

"Until I realised who it was I was kissing."

"But you didn't kiss me outside the house."

"I know. I knew it was you all along."

Casey turned around and faced him. "What?"

"I planned everything. Emily was in on it. She told me what your costume was and made sure you arrived after me."

"But I would have seen you leaving the house in costume."

"I didn't leave in costume. The costume was in my locker. I changed in the bathroom. Also, to make doubly sure, you were over at Emily's."

"Wow. It's so well planned. I didn't think you were capable of that."

"I learnt from you." he reached out to take her hand but she turned her back on him again and held out the lace strings. He took them obediently.

"Why would you do that? Why would you go to all that trouble, just to dance with me?" she asked over her shoulder and met his earnest eyes looking back.

"To get closer to you. I thought that if you didn't know it was me, you might actually like me."

"There's a thinker." She turned her head to face the wall again.

He struggled on with the laces for a moment longer.

"Do you want to know why Max took Amy to the party?" she asked suddenly. "We broke up yesterday."

"I'm sorry Casey."

"Don't be." She said softly. Then her tone changed. "Or maybe you should be."

"What are you talking about?"

She pulled away and turned back to face him. "We broke up because of you. Max knew all along that I wasn't really into him. Yesterday he confronted me about it. And we both know how bad I am at lying. I told him the truth."

"And what is the truth?" Derek stood up and moved towards her.

Casey bit her lip gently. "The only reason I fight with you all the time, is so you would notice me. It's like, when you're in kindergarten. Boys throw stones at the girl they like, or they pull her hair."

By now he was very close to her, even though she had been backing up. "You talk to much." He whispered.

She realised she had run out of floor and was therefore up against the wall. She pouted at him however, hiding her smile. "Know how to cure me?"

"I've got a few ideas about that." He kissed that very tempting pout, and felt her gasp on his lips, making them tingle.

Through the window a telescope blinked.

"Hah! It worked!"

"What worked?"

Emily looked over at Sam as he sat on her bed and undid his cape.

"The Masquerade Misunderstanding of course." She smiled coolly.

"About time too!"

Somewhere in the distance Derek heard their laughter, but he didn't care…because Romeo had his angel.


End file.
